Wellington event pays homage to veterans

Sgt. (Ret.) Buster Hughs of Wellington became aware of his own mortality in the mid-1940s.

On the European front during World War II, Hughs racked up 200 days of combat and saw friends die - but he did not get injured.

"I lost everyone I knew; they were dying all around me, but I didn't get hurt," Hughs said. "It's just one of those miracles I guess."

Hughs joined fellow armed services veterans, friends and family at the veterans memorial on Wellington's town square Monday to pay respect to war heroes, alive and dead.

Earlier, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Glynn Moore Post 6439 made small iron crosses and placed them on the graves of veterans with American flags. This was the post's 53rd Memorial Day.

A little older since they fought on the battlefields in WWI, WWII and Korea, the men dressed in their Army and Navy uniforms, standing at attention as Lennie Coleman-Sims sang the national anthem and the Collingsworth County 4-H Club led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Members of the VFW placed red, white and blue flowers in front of the memorial. Durant McInnis of Wellington read the "Ragged Ole Flag." Raymond Horton of Wellington, who had been left for dead on a WWII battlefield, played Taps on his bugle.

"This memorial monument was dedicated to the men who gave their lives for their country," said Leonard Kujawski, VFW Post commander. "Their names have been so placed upon this monument so that we may not forget them and the price that they paid for freedom."

Spouses and family of deceased veterans remembered their relatives with pride and stifled tears.

"My brother served in the war (WWII)," said Lois Parsons of Wellington. "We found out Jack died six months after the war ended. We were expecting him to come home."

Collingsworth County Judge Hank Forrester said Americans should be proud of their country.

"We are blessed to be living in the free country we live in and have an abundance of things that we have that people in other countries don't have," he said. "God blessed America - that's for sure."